Walking Into Winter

As the temperature begins to drop, so does our motivation to dress fashionably. It's hard to show off a cute outfit in the cold weather when you are bundled up in a coat most of the time. This is why we find our shoes to be the most important winter accessory! This week we came up with our four essential shoe types for this upcoming winter, along with some of our favorite looks we found to go along. From rainy days to horrific blizzards, a simple pair of boots can transform your entire look, and have you feeling trendy and warm at the same time. 

L.L. Bean Boots

 If you live in an area where Mother Nature loves to send freezing cold snow storms your way, these are the boots for you. These boots come in all different colors and styles, and can be found in different brands, as well. We find that L.L. Bean's Original Bean Boots are the best choice of shoes when tromping through snowy sidewalks and even muddy puddles. These multipurpose boots are perfect for the wintertime because they can be dressed up or dressed down depending on the occasion. The fashionable looks we found that included these boots consist of leggings (or jeans), cute patterned socks (for insulation and style), any pattern shirt or sweater and a vest to pull it all together. Because these boots are extremely neutral and versatile, finding an outfit that is warm and stylish, will not be a challenge. 

Hunter Rain Boots

Rain boots are found in almost every department store, all year round, no matter the name brand. But we decided that Hunter's original Wellington Rain Boots seem to be the best quality rubber boots for those rainy days. These rain boots are 100% waterproof and are equipped for rough, long-term use. Hunter rain boots come in hundreds of styles and colors, but we decided to stick with the classic color black, in order to achieve almost any look you decide to put together. The sleek black finish of these boots can allow you to almost dress up your outfit to your full potential. (Did we just say dress up your outfit with rain boots?!) Yes we did! Go ahead and pair those boots with any pair of pants, cute knit sweater, pop of color jacket, scarf, the list goes on and on, and you'll stay dry at the same time!

Riding Boots

Hold your horses... riding boots may have been made for equestrians, but who follows those rules anymore? Whether you are sporting brown or black, riding boots are an essential in every girls wardrobe. They come in a variety of different styles from your simple riding boots, to edgy studded grunge boots. Easily dressed down with leggings and a chunky sweater, or dressed up with a skater skirt and tights, riding boots are bound to make an appearance in your wardrobe this winter. We like to sport our riding boots when we want to look casual, but put together. We pair them with jeans or nice leggings, a cute shirt, fitted jacket (for style and warmth) and a scarf to pull it all together. 

Booties

It can be a tough transition from flip flops to fur boots, but thank god we don't have to sacrifice our height. We may throw in some suede and close up the peep toe, but we still get to stand tall in our booties. Heels or wedges, whichever you prefer, are a great way to dress up your winter outfit. To get the most wear out of our booties we tend to stick to the neutrals (black, gray, tans), but they come in many more colors! We like to pair our booties with jeans and a cute sweater by day, & by night, dresses (or skirts) and tights. Don't forget a cute necklace or scarf to spice up your style!

Until next time!

XOXO, 

Kendall & Kristen

Day to Night

In the busy world we live in, it seems like we are always running around like chickens with our heads cut off. With hardly enough time to breathe, deciding what to wear for a night out is the last thing on our minds. We all want to look our best, and for must of us that means looking like we spent hours getting ready when we only have 10 minutes. We put together an easy Day to Night outfit and makeup look that will have you looking your best with half the effort. So keep working hard and doing your thing, because going from Day to Night is now the least of your worries. Enjoy!

The Makeup

Day: If you're anything like me, your days are spent running from class to class, doing homework between meals, and thinking to yourself "Why are there only 24hrs in a day?" During the day I like to keep my makeup simple, just enough so people know I'm a girl and to prove I actually have eyelashes (blonde troubles.) I also like to give myself a good base, so if I am in a hurry and need to dress myself up fast, I can easily get myself together. 

I start by using my foundation, concealer, and powder as a base to perfect my skin. I use a little bit of bronzer to warm up my complexion and make my skin look more alive. Throw on a little bit of neutral blush to give me some glow and I'm done with my face for the day. For my eyes, I apply a little bit of a pale gold eyeshadow all over the lid, and a little bit of a taupe brown through my crease to blend it out. I skip out on eyeliner because I want to save time and keep the look as natural as possible. Lastly, I throw on my favorite mascara and I'm out the door.

Night: Ok so I look down at the time and realize I have dinner plans in 15 minutes...crap. When taking your makeup from day to night, you don't have to completely start over and re-do your makeup. It's way easier to just add to what you've already got then to start from scratch. 

Starting with the eyes, I add a darker brown on the outer corners of my eyes and through the crease to deepen up the eyeshadow. I add some winged liner to make my eyes look more defined and make myself look a little more put together, and throw on a little bit of extra mascara to pump up my lashes. Finally, I added a bold lip. This red lip, is one of the easiest ways to make yourself look like you tried way harder than you did. *This is a long wear liquid lipstick that will stay put all night long, so you don't have to worry about touch ups. And just like that you've taken your look from drab to fabb.

Products Used & Links: Naked 1 Palette (Half Baked, Smog, Naked), NARS Sheer Glow Foundation, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, NYX HD setting powder, Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder, NYX Blush (Mauve), Stila Stay All Day eyeliner, Mally Volumizing Mascara, Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick (Bachelorette). 

The Outfits

Do you ever have those days when you are running low on clothes and completely forgot to throw in a load of laundry? I know I do... all. the. time. And of course on those same days we magically have a billion errands to run and plans to go out later with friends. This first outfit will be perfect for running to the mall while being fashionable AND comfortable at the same time! Oh, and don't worry, you will still be able to procrastinate on that load of laundry just a little longer, because with a swap of a few clothing items, you will be all set for your night out! 

Day: I tend to dress more comfortable and relaxed when heading to the mall because I won't be able to have my shopping game face on if I'm running around in heels. Does anyone else feel the need to have zero distractions around/on them when running errands, or is it just me? Well anyway, I put together a cute and comfy outfit to wear during one of those busy days. I am wearing a cream tank top from TJ Maxx, dark wash jeggings from Hollister, maroon studded flats from Forever 21 and a tan cardigan from H&M. 

Night: If you somehow spent way more time than planned at the shopping center (which always seems to be the case for myself) and are in a rush to change and head out with a few friends, this outfit will only take a few seconds. I decided to stick with the same dark wash jeggings from Hollister and tank from TJ Maxx to same myself some time. To get ready for a night out I chose to dress up the look with some tan and gold wedges from Forever 21 and a knitted lace, sleeveless cardigan from TJ Maxx. If you are planning to be outside most of the night you can also replace the sleeveless cardigan with a fancy long sleeve or blazer!

XOXO,

Kendall & Kristen

Curling 101

We all want to have windblown hair at all times of the day, but unless you carry around your pocket fan from elementary school field days, that is highly unlikely. We're not saying you don't have great hair, because of course you do! All we're saying is, how many times have you stood in front of your vanity wondering how you get those perfect curls you picture in your head, and see in the magazines but can't quite achieve?  If you're like us, try a million. We have complied four different curling (or flat) irons starting from the most basic, to more daring, that are perfect for any look. Hope you find your windblown look in here somewhere! So drop that pocket fan and pick up and iron. Enjoy!

First we will start with the basics. The standard curling iron with a clamp. This is the most basic curling iron, but also one of the more difficult to use (its not as easy as the hairdressers make it look). This iron can be used for all hair types, however those with thicker hair may receive better results because thin, fine hair can slip out of the clamp making it harder to curl. 

We demonstrated on Grace, our first lovely volunteer, who has beautiful soft, long hair, and used a 1 1/4 inch barrel. We started by taking a section of hair about 1 inch in diameter and put the clamp about halfway down on the hair shaft. Then, start to curl the hair around the barrel, gradually loosening the clamp to let in more hair going down the shaft, until the whole section is wrapped around the barrel. Wait about 10-15 seconds or until the hair is hot-to-touch and release the curl. Not exactly rocket science, but maybe rockin hair science?

*Curling away from your face is normally the most flattering look, if you want to add extra volume and avoid your curls meshing together, try rotating the direction of your curls. 

Ok, stating the obvious here, but flat irons are primarily used for straightening hair, however they can make a FABB tool for curling. If you are tired of standard tight curls and want to switch up your look then this is a great alternative. It gives you polished curls, but without them all looking perfectly uniform (because being perfect is overrated anyway, right?).

Katie, number two of our lovely volunteers, has thick course hair, which is perfect for using a flat iron, so the flat iron gets a good grip of the hair. We started by taking a section of about an inch thick (again) at the top of the hair shaft, and gripped the hair with the iron as if we were straightening her hair normally. Then, flip the iron under until the hair is sticking out the top of the iron, like in the picture below. Slid the iron all the way down the hair shaft and release when you get to the end and you have your curl. 

*If you do have finer hair but want to try this method, try using a texturizing spray or even dry shampoo to give your hair a little more grip.

If you are really craving some change in your curls, try the Pearl wand. It has a very irregular wand structure. Instead of it being a straight wand, it has circles with a little space in-between each of them,  allowing the hair to wrap around the iron. This wand creates a very messy and fun hair look. All of the curls turn out different from one another so it can give you a very naturally curly look! This wand can be used for any hair type (as that is with most wands). Kendall has short, soft hair which works perfectly with this wand. 

This technique is pretty easy. Just take the standard inch section and wrap it around the barrel. You can choose to wrap the hair in-between or on top of the circles, for different curls. You can wrap the hair around all the way to the ends or leave them out for a more relaxed look. 

*This is a more daring and crazy wand, so if it comes out too crazy for your liking, just take some water on your hands and scrunch it through to loosen up the curls. 

Last but clearly not least we have just your standard curling wand. These are becoming more and more popular so how could we not mention it? Wands are the easiest to use and also the most versatile when it comes to hair type. No matter the thickness, texture, or length of your hair, you can find a wand to suit your every need.  

Kristen has medium length hair with a medium thickness. We used a 1 inch wand, starting at the top of the hair shaft and wrapping the hair around the wand all the way down to the ends. Leave it on the barrel for 10-15 seconds or until your hair feels hot. Then, (obviously) release the curl. This doesn't take much thought or skill, but be careful not to burn your fingers...well duh. 

*Wands tend to give a more tossled and relaxed curl compared to a clamp curling iron. The longer you keep your hair on the wand the more curly it will be. For relaxed waves, only keep your hair on the wand for 5-10 seconds, or comb through your curls with your fingers after your curls cool. 

Remember to use a heat protectant before styling your hair, and don't be afraid to experiment with different types of curling irons/wands/barrels/anything else to see what looks you really like! 

Until next week, 

XOXO

Kristen & Kendall